Expansion joint



oct. 4, 193s. A. FABER@ 2,131,798

EXPANSION JINT l Filed Nov. 4, 1957 af .'bm

@Hun/h MA Patented Oct. 4, 1938 v UNITEDLSTATES 2,131,793* a' EXPANSION Jolnry E"abbrog-""llalnpa,Fla. applicati@ Novemberai, wsa-'serial 10.172.832 Vav claims. (ci. 7219 y This invention relates generallyY to concrete surfacing structures such'as roads, pavements', floors, walls and the like; and more particularly to metallic expansion joints used to divide such 5 structures into sections or slabs of predetermined dimensions. I I 2 It isk well known that concrete roads or similar surfacing structures will, on account of contraction and expansion with changes of temperature l and on account of the heaving and-sinking of the ground or subbeds.-crack or divide'ralong irregular vlines and at irregular intervals when the road is built solid. The `irregular**breaking of the concrete is not only unsightly but it -frel quently results in the disintegration of the road to a very marked degree due tothe breaking of the concrete along suchYcracks.V This makes the maintenance Acost of the roads or surfacing structure excessive and also materially -shortens the life Vof such structure.

The main object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a metallic insert forming an expansion joint between adjacent edges of the aforesaid sections or slabs to permit the slabs or sections to expand and contract without causing irregular cracks o-r breaks to appear upon the surface thereof,

A further object of the invention is to provide an expansion joint of the character referred to which can be readily adapted to support a dividing strip in position to form a straight edge or v leveling of the surfaces of a second surface applied to a coarser sub-base or sub-surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint of the character referred to which can be applied to vertical walls for the purpose of securing slabs or similar sections of concrete as a cover for said vertical walls.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a broken elevation of a system of concrete slabs supported by the expansion joint embodying the present invention and applied to a Wooden vertical structure;

Figure 2 is a broken vertical section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a slab such as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, and provided with a part of the expansion joint referred to Figure 4 is a perspective view of a U-shaped cover adapted to be applied to the expansion joint to form a vfinish for the sections outlined by the various slabs in the surfacing structure;

4 or` sub-base and f Figure 5 is `a broken vertical section through an Lexpansion joint used as a base support for a straight-edged `dividing-strip employed when a Vfinished surface is applied to a lower sub-surface 5 'Figure 6 is a bottom plan of a slab of concrete v vwith-thefexpansion Yjoint members in the form of alpan'el secured thereto. Y vReferring to the drawing, infwhich similar -parts aredesignated'by like numerals: 10

The expansion joint illustrated in Figures 1, `2, 3, 4' and 6 is adapted to be suitably secured, during the pouring operation, to concrete slab 6. The joint propercomprises a primary part l formedof astrip off copper or other suitable rustl5 resisting material.` `ThisTstripis .bent first to forma flange 8 extending at right anglesfrom a body portion 9 lwhich is return-bent to form a flange I Il substantiallyl parallel to the body portion 9. "Fheeange "IUfis spaced apart from the v20 body portion 9 a sufficient distance to receive between them a plate II formed from a strip of copper or other similar sheet material constituting the secondary part I2 of the joint. 'Ihe secondary part I2 comprises a flange I3 extending 25 4at right angles to an intermediate body part Ill which is return-bent to form a plate I5 connected at its lower end, as by bending the sheet I2, to the plate II.

The flanges 8 and I3 as mounted on the sup- 30 porting structure are intended to lie substantial- 1yr in the same plane; and the parts I4, I5 and II of the secondary part of the expansion joint are separated from each other suiiiciently to: permit the adjacent slab 6 to move toward and from 35 each other without undue strain. When the adjacent flanges are assembled on the supporting structure the space between the members I5 and Ill of the completed joint is intended to be lled with tar, macadam or other plastic material to 40 seal the joint. When the sealing material is positioned in said space, the joint may be completed by applying thereto the U-shaped strip IllV which forms a nished edge for the expansion joint and defines the boundary of the various 45 slabs in the finished structure.

To secure the slabs to a Vertical wall or to the studs I'I thereof, one of the flanges of the joint, as for example the flange I3 shown in Figure 2, has a narrow clamping plate I8 connected there- 50 to. Thisclamping plate I8 is provided with an aperture I9 to receive a nail or other securing means 20 at the endextending beyond the back parts of the joint. The other end of the clamping plate I8 is return-bent to form a flange 2| 55 embracing the flange I3 of the secondary part of the expansion joint. In this manner the hook formed by the return bend on the end of the clamping plate I8 forms a support for the upper edge of the slab 6 to which it is connected. As shown in Figure 4, the U-shaped cover I6 for the expansion joint must be provided with a slot 22 to receive the end of another cover extending from the adjacent and superposed slab.

The space 23 between the members I0 and I5 of the expansion joint vis adapted to receive, as a substitute for the cover I6, a slotted cover 24. This cover 24 comprises a sheet of copper or other similar material bent to form two outer flanges 25 and 26 to engage the outer surfaces of the expansion joint. The sheet. forming the cover 24 is bent between its ends to form a recessed member 21 which extends into the recess 23 and is itself shaped to form a recess 28 in which is seated a straight-edged strip 29.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 5 is designed for use in applying a second concrete surface 30 to a lower and coarser sub-base 3|. The strips 29 may be of any suitable width, de-

pending upon the desired depth of the finished surface material 30; and form a small finished joint which not only defines the outline of the slabs of the surface, but also indicates the location of the expansion joint in the lower sub-base.

The elements of the joint shown in Figure 5 are substantially the same as those shown in Figures 2 and 3, except that a base member 32 of copper or similar sheet material is substituted for the clamping member I8. This member 32 comprises a flat base bent over at its opposite ends to form anges 33 and 34 embracing the flanges 8 and I3 of the expansion joint proper.

As shown in Figure 6, the primary and secondary parts of the metallic expansion joint may be stamped from a single sheet of metal so that the flanges 8 and I3 form a rectangular panel suitably apertured to receive the ends of the reinforcing rods or wires R. On each slab, the primary part of the expansion joint extends along the remaining adjacent edges. Obviously, this construction enables the blocks to be made exactly alike, and permits their assembly with their vertical joints properly staggered or broken.

The invention is not to be considered as limited to the specific details of construction described as shown, nor in any other manner except as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A concrete surfacing structure 'comprising a base composed of straight-edged slabs, cooperating means secured to adjacent slabs and extending between the edges thereof to form interlocking expansion joints, recessed covers seated on said joints, straight-edged strips seated in the recesses of and projecting above said covers, ,and slabs of concrete extending between and ush with the projecting edges lof said strips.

2. A building construction comprising a wall formed lof spaced-apart studs, a plurality of straight-edged concrete slabs, metallic interlocking expansion joints extending between the edges of adjacent slabs, and means connected to said expansion joints for securing said slabs to said studs.

3. A building construction comprising a wall formed of spaced-apart studs, a plurality of straight-.edged concrete slabs, metallic interlocking expansion joints extending between the edges of adjacent slabs, means connected to said expansion joints for securing said slabs to said studs, and a U-shaped cover embracing said expansion joints, said cover being flush with the surfaces of said slabs.

ANTONIO FABBRO. 

